Here Comes the Sun: Largest Solar Array in Israel Becomes Operational

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Israel’s Ketura Solar Field will be operational on Wednesday. Photo: Arava Power Company.

JNS.org – Israel’s Ketura Solar Field became operational on Wednesday, making it the largest solar array to be an active part of the Jewish state’s electric grid.

The solar array, which is located on Kibbutz Ketura in southern Israel’s Arava Valley, contains 140,434 solar panels spread over 134 acres and is capable of generating 40 megawatts of power at a cost of $79 million, Globes reported.

The solar field project is a joint venture between Israel’s Arava Power Company and EDF Energies Nouvelles Israel, a subsidiary of the French national electric corporation.

The Israeli government hopes that renewable energy reaches 10 percent of the country’s total energy consumption by 2020. Currently, that figure is at 2 percent.